Eggplant Caponata
Serves 4 (as entrée) or 8 (as appetizer)
Adapted from Marc Vetri, Amis
This lightly sweet, Sicilian eggplant salad is super versatile. Serve yourself a generous portion and a hunk of baguette, and you have a dinner akin to ratatouille. Dish it up next to a roast, and you have a hearty, vegetable salad. Or try my favorite way, and place a bowl of eggplant caponata on a tray with crispy, garlic toasts, and you have an addictive appetizer.
To make your own garlic toasts (technically bruschetta), simply cut a baguette into ¼-inch slices, place under the broiler for 8 minutes, flipping the toasts half way through. When toasts are out of the oven, rub with olive oil and a clove of garlic.
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 medium eggplants, cut into ½-inch dice
½ medium fennel bulb, cut into ¼-inch dice
¼ medium red onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup diced canned tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup golden raisins
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons red wine vinegar
Pour ¼ cup canola oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Add half the eggplant, in a single layer, and cook, turning every few minutes, until deep, golden brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. Remove eggplant and drain on a paper towel. Return skillet to medium-high heat, and add additional ¼ cup oil and repeat with remaining eggplant.
While the second batch of eggplant is cooking, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add two tablespoons oil, along with fennel, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender, but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add tomato, crushing as it cooks.
Return all eggplant to large skillet over medium heat. Create an opening in the center of the pan. Add fennel mixture, pine nuts, and raisins to empty center and gently fold in eggplant, careful not to break up the vegetable.
Remove pan from heat and stir in salt, pepper, and vinegar. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to three days.
big world | small kitchen
http://www.bigworldsmallkitchen.com/recipe/pan_roasted_eggplant_caponata_recipe
